


Soshi Kingdoms

by ShinyAvarice



Category: So Nyuh Shi Dae | Girls' Generation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-20 13:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3651711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinyAvarice/pseuds/ShinyAvarice





	1. Prelude

Cannons boomed drowning out the screams of the dying. The smell of spent gunpowder mixed with the smell of blood and bodily fluids.  
  
All around her was chaos. The forces of the enemy had broken the defenders. A retreat is ordered, but it swiftly turned into a rout.  
  
Jessica looked on with a dazed face as she walked across the mud of the battlefield. A soldier was trapped under the wheel of a cannon. He was coughing his lungs up, his guts sliced open from the cannon when it backfired and exploded.  
  
He caught Jessica's eye as she walked closer. He begged her to end his suffering. Jessica obliged and raised her sword and beheaded him. She felt nothing. No guilt nor remorse.  
  
Continuing on she helped more injured on their way to the next life. Her expression remained stoic the whole time. No glory is to be found in this mindless slaughter. Her forces had been broken.  
  
Some of the enemy soldiers spotted her and ran over hoping to capture her and gain glory for themselves. Jessica didn't even break stride. She raised her sword and almost casually cut one man's arm off and followed through to gut him. Two more remained standing. One raised his sword and advanced on her while the other circled around to flank her.  
  
Jessica just side-stepped his clumsy overhead swing and heard a scream. She glanced to where she was standing and saw that the man who tried to flank had taken the full brunt of the others attack. The sword was now embedded deep into the man's shoulder.  
  
Blinking once Jessica swung her sword twice and beheaded the two of them.  
  
Turning around she continued to her horse, Shadow and mounted. She took one last look at the battlefield. Thousands of soldiers from her home country lay dead or dying. Thousands more were fleeing to all points of the compass. The enemy cavalry galloping down those who fled. The captured are executed where they stand. No prisoners are taken.  
  
This battle had sealed the fate of her home. She would need to ride to the East and seek the aid of the Res Publica Vallis and it's powerful northern allies, The Polari.  
  
“Hiya, Ride fast Shadow, to the east and the lands of the Vallis.” She said urging him into a full gallop. They would travel across country until they reached the lands of the Old Empire then it would be safe to use the roads again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

  
  
The measured sound of horses trotting on a cobbled stoned path echoed on the eaves of the forest. 30 riders were approaching. Spear tips glinting in the sun. Breathe fogging at the mouths of men, werewolf and horse alike. The smell of cold damp earth was in the air mixing with the scent of pollen.  
  
Hyoyeon Kim was riding her horse at a leisurely pace on the road. Her royal guard following a respectful distance behind her in double columns, not that she felt she needed them. There hadn’t been any reports of bandits this close to the capital in months and besides she had her cavalry sabre and wooden buckler shield strapped to her saddle just in case, and her hunting leathers on, so if any bandits did attack she felt safe in the knowledge that they couldn’t hurt her. She was the Princess of this small kingdom in the north known as The Polari, and that meant she was expected to know how to fight.  
  
Her guard were armed and armoured for a typical ride. All had a long cavalry spear in their hands and either a bearded axe or cavalry sabre like Hyoyeon. They were armoured in padded leather riding equipment with a chain-mail shirt and sky blue tunic on top. The tunic had the symbol of the royal guard embroidered on it, that of a roaring Snow Leopard. The banner man held the banner of the royal house of Kim, a fighting white bear on a sky blue field. The wolf-folk needed no weapons or amour, teeth and claw would suffice.  
  
Accompanying them was a small group of chamberlains and servants tasked with seeing to the princesses’ needs and those of her guards during this trip. She was on her way to visit the Northern lands of the Polari, most notably the province of the Hypolita, and The-Land-of-the-Ghosts. Hyoyeon was supposed to wait for the arrival of a Vallis envoy to join them before she set out from Iron Junction, the Polari capitol, but she was feeling restless and eager to enjoy the summer air before autumn set in.  
  
Hyoyeon would be 24 this year, and that meant she’d be an adult and there would be huge ceremony involving feasting and other traditions that she didn’t want to think about right now. All she wanted to do now was enjoy the short summer months before the long hard winter set in.  
  
Eyeing the entrance to forest Hyoyeon stopped her horse in front of the large Oak that was wreathed in Holly tree. Dismounting with her guard following suit, she approached the great tree. Signalling to her guard’s one of them used a horn and blew out the fanfare of the Polari.  
  
“Greetings to the Holly King who rules these lands during the summer,” She called to the tree and woods beyond, “I, Princess Hyoyeon of The Polari bid permission to enter your domain on my way to the province of Hypolita, we give these small gifts as payment,” Four of the servants then placed several small barrels of mead and ale at the foot of the tree, “we hope you accept them and grant us permission to pass through your lands.”  
  
For several long moments, nothing happened but them a strong blast of wind coursed out from the forest of over the group. From behind the trees stepped 5 soldiers of the Holly King, dressed in their polished wooden armor over their green smooth skin. Each of them had eyes like red berries. One of them raised its spear in salute and the others gathered up the barrels. Then another blast of wind and they vanished.  
  
Smiling to herself Hyoyeon mounted her horse again and, together with her escort, crossed into the entrance to the forest.  
  
After several hours of riding the group came to a clearing and Hyoyeon decided to make camp here for the night. She was in no hurry The Polari had been at peace now for thirty years since her Grandmother, Queen Solbi Kwon; Wild Cat of the North had vanquished the horde of the Old Hypolitan kingdom far to the south-east. The current Queen, Hyoyeon’s mother Boa Kwon; Striking Eagle had married Changmin, a young Vallis General, and had then spent several years playing diplomat between the two nations of the Polari and the, recently renamed, Res Publica Vallis. That wasn’t easy seeing has the latter had led two large scale, but fortunately unsuccessful, invasions during Queen Solbi's reign.  
  
Hyoyeon was sitting down enjoying her dinner when she heard the distinct howling of the wolf-folk relay system. Languages were never her forte, but she knew enough of the wolf-folk howling to make out the gist of the message. The envoy from the Vallis would be joining them on the road to the Hypolita. That should be fun Hyoyeon thought; it would give her chance to learn more about her Vallis heritage. Curios to know who was in the envoy she beckoned over the wolf-folk captain, Shredder Blood-tooth of the Ukpik tribe. The white werewolf approached and curtsied, Hyoyeon, like many humans still found it a strange sight to see a werewolf curtsy.  
  
“Did the message say the name of whom would be part of the envoy that’s joining us?” Hyoyeon asked.  
  
“Yes a young commander by the name of Yoona Cicero, Princess.” The captain answered in the guttural voice of the wolf-folk.  
  
“Yoona, excellent I look forward to meeting her; she should catch up to us by tomorrow evening I suspect” Hyoyeon said to herself in a tone that only a royal could do. Taking the hint that she was dismissed, Shredder curtsied and went to join the rest of the wolf-folk on guard duty.

 


	3. 03

 

  
Sooyoung wheeled her horse around letting loose another arrow at the wooden target as she rode past. Turning in the saddle she knocked another shot and let it fly, striking the wooden pole again. She thundered around the target for the next hour loosing shot after shot, never missing.  
  
Sooyoung was a member of the Hypolitan elite cavalry. All members of the cavalry used a light compound bow and rode light horses, and in the tradition of the Matriarch society of Hypolita all of the elite were female. She was dressed in the full armor of her unit, which consisted of, a light weight leather cap with cheek flaps, a yellow tunic with red sleeves over a chain and leather vest, and pants with one leg deep red and the other deep blue in colour.  
  
Sooyoung was restless. Her friend Hyoyeon, Princess of the Hypolita’s sovereign rulers, The Polari kingdom, was visiting, and she would be joined by a Vallis envoy. Needless to say, Sooyoung was less than happy about that. The Vallis invasion was still fresh in many of the people's minds, and Soo did not trust any Vallis except Queen Boa's consort Changmin. Soo wanted to see if this Yoona was really to be trusted, she didn’t believe for a second that Yoona was on a simple diplomatic mission to strengthen trust with the Republic’s few remaining allies.  
  
Riding her horse back to the stables she dismounted and handed the reins to a waiting stable hand. She strode off towards the kitchens, training always left her with an appetite, and she had a fancy for venison pies right now.  
  
She entered the mess and immediately could smell the food coming from the kitchens. Throughout the mess, various warriors of the Hypolita were sitting in groups talking about the usual stuff warriors talked about. Mostly exaggerated battle stories. She took a seat with her fellow riders from the elite unit and helped herself to the food spread across the table.  
  
“Good session today Soo?” One of them asked.  
  
“Yess...very…” Soo said between mouthfuls. No human could eat as much as she could eat and she had even out eaten King Kangta of the Wolf-folk once.  
  
At that moment, a chamberlain came over to their table. She had a message for Sooyoung. “The Basilea request your presence immediately she has a mission for you” The young woman said.  
  
Soo nodded and swallowing her bite she stood to leave but not before grabbing an apple for the walk. The Basilea was the ruler of the Hypolitan people. She was a fierce woman with many years’ experience of war and politics.  
  
Keeping pace a few steps behind the chamberlain Soo munched on the apple wondering why the Basilea had requested her presence. Soo shrugged her shoulders whatever she needs to know she’ll know.  
  
Rounding a corner they came to the door that led to the meeting chambers of the Basilea, and after the chamberlain told the two guards stationed outside why they were there, they pushed the doors open.  
  
“You summoned me Basilea” Sooyoung said after saluting.  
  
“Yes Sooyoung I did.” The Basilea said without looking up from her papers. “I have a task for you. As you know Hyoyeon is on her way hear for a royal visit and will be accompanied by a Vallis envoy, I want you to ride out today and meet them on the road and for the duration of this envoy’s stay within the Polari’s borders you are to follow her wherever she goes. Make sure no harm befalls her. There is still much bad blood between the Hypolitan people and Vallis and I will have no blood spilt because someone wants revenge for a relative they lost in the invasion thirty years ago. Understood”  
  
Sooyoung didn’t answer straight away. She was seething, she would have to babysit this foreigner. She would kill her and be done with it. She was about to voice her protest when the Basilea’s stern voice interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"Am I understood, Captain," She said icily finally locking Sooyoung with a steely glare.  
  
“Yes ma’am” Sooyoung nodded.  
  
“Good dismissed”  
  
Sooyoung saluted and marched out of the room. Her face was contorted into a snarl as she marched back to the stable to prep her horse.  
  
After she was ready she mounted and cantered out the stables and onto the plains near the forest.  
  
Still seething from these outrageous orders she urged her mount into a gallop, and they thundered across the plains. She didn’t know how far from Hypolita Hyoyeon was but guessed it wasn’t far, so she decided to ride ahead into the forest to meet them.

She crossed through after asking permission from the Holly king and then galloped off down the forest road.  
  
Despite her foul mood, a ride through the forest always calmed her down, and when she slowed her pace to a trot she had almost forgotten about the Envoy. Almost. She decided to enjoy a pear from her saddle bag and munched on that while trying not to think about the Vallisian Yoona. Instead, she breathed in the warm earthy scents of the forest and listened to the sounds of the animal life scurrying about on their business. This far north autumn was starting to take its hold and everywhere leaves were golden in colour or deep reds and light browns. Autumn was short this far north and winter in the Polari wash the harshest in the world when the seas would freeze all the way from the northern Icesheets to the Wolfrock mountains, the southern border of the Polari, giving the small country its name.  
  
After a few hours, she could hear the sound of hooves ahead and quickened her pace to a canter. Coming over the rise she spotted the cavalry of The Polari and saw the golden hair of her childhood friend leading the group, all thoughts of being angry at Yoona were driven from her mind as she galloped towards the group.  
  
“Hyoyeon!” She called as she got closer but stopped herself when she saw the person riding next to her friend chatting amicably with her. This girl was wearing the uniform of a Vallis officer, a silver breast plate and purple clothing with lace cuffs and collar. Sooyoung fought to suppress her rage at seeing this peacock being so familiar with her best friend.

 


End file.
